Posted in Awareness, Complete Well-Being, Stress

Have You Ever Tried Working Out Your Face?

We all know the importance of exercising our bodies to stay healthy and fit. But did you know that exercising your facial muscles can have numerous health benefits as well? Recent research has shown that facial muscle exercises can improve skin tone, reduce wrinkles, and even boost mood and emotional well-being. One of the main […]

Posted in Awareness, Complete Well-Being, Positivity

Effective Communication Benefits Social and Emotional Health

Effective communication is essential for maintaining healthy relationships and achieving success in various aspects of life. Communication skills play a significant role in promoting social and emotional health. Effective communication helps individuals to express their emotions and feelings, resolve conflicts, and build trust and intimacy with others. The benefits of effective communication extend beyond the […]

Posted in Complete Well-Being, Fitness, Movement

The Benefits of Exercise in Older Populations

As we age, our bodies undergo significant changes that can make it more challenging to maintain our physical and mental health. However, staying active and participating in regular exercise as an older adult can help reduce the risk of chronic diseases, improve their mental health, and maintain physical function. Importantly, one study found that participation […]

Posted in Complete Well-Being, Fitness, Movement

What is Low Impact Movement?

We are spoiled for choice when it comes to selecting fitness exercises. Low impact movements ranging from yoga to running, or swimming to cycling all provide benefits for getting into shape and improving cardiovascular fitness. With that, the amount of impact on your body can significantly vary depending on the movement you choose, “impact” being […]

Posted in Complete Well-Being, Movement, Sleep

Bedtime Movement Routine for a Better Night’s Sleep

What is one thing that can improve your mental and physical health at the same time? One answer could be movement. Regular movement or exercise provides many benefits in regards to the mind and body, and can also influence your sleep. The mind and body connection plays a role in one’s overall health, including their […]

Posted in Complete Well-Being, Productivity, Stress

The Importance of Taking Breaks At Work

Taking breaks throughout the work day is beneficial to the employees. By stepping away from work for just a few minutes, you can increase your productivity, refocus, and reduce stress. Breaks are essential to every employee because they aid in boosting employee engagement and creativity levels. Mental health is also improved through taking active breaks […]

Posted in Fitness, Yoga

Detox The Body

Detoxing the body comes with many benefits. Detox is defined as a process that removes harmful toxins from the body. Your liver and other organs do this automatically when you have too much of something that is not supposed to be in your body. The best way to detox in a healthy way is by […]

Posted in Meditation, Productivity

Anger Management & Meditation

When you’re angry or frustrated, do you feel as though you can’t think straight? Anger is a powerful emotion that activates the body’s stress response, which causes increased blood pressure, tightened muscles, and adrenaline spikes that release the stress hormone cortisol. These symptoms can spiral into a negative cycle making us feel as though we […]

Posted in Complete Well-Being, Meditation

Achieve Mindfulness Through Sound

Although we are surrounded by sound everyday, we do not realize the vibrations that are produced have powerful healing properties. The ancient meditative process, known as sound healing, uses different musical implements in order to create healing vibrations around the body while in a meditative state. Sound healing is used to help activate the body’s […]

Posted in Complete Well-Being, Productivity

Financial Wellness & Mental Health

Thinking about money and finances can feel overwhelming and stressful for many. When thinking about your budget, retirement, and savings, it can be hard to know where to start. Financial wellness can be defined as the connection between financial knowledge and specific actions that people do in order to gain financial security and prevent stress […]

Posted in Mindful Eating, Stress

Digestion & Stress: Balancing The Scales

Did you know that one of the biggest obstacles our digestive system faces is our own stress? Stress releases a hormone called cortisol, which essentially tenses up our bodies and makes it more difficult for ‘unessential’ systems to do their work efficiently. As far as the digestive system goes, this means that when we’re stressed, […]

Posted in Complete Well-Being, Positivity

Nourishing Mind & Body

Incorporating self-care and clean eating into your daily routine will result in long-lasting, positive effects. Self-care allows you to step back, regroup, and improve your mental and physical strength. Keeping active and developing smart eating habits leads to a healthier and balanced lifestyle. Proper nourishment has been linked to heightened energy, improved brain clarity, and […]

Posted in Movement, Yoga

Yoga for Anxiety

Yoga is a powerful mental and physical practice which allows us to center and ground ourselves. When dealing with anxiety, it is essential to find different ways to increase your mind-body awareness and regulate stress levels. Yoga provides the perfect outlet to relax and reflect on the causes of your anxiety. Yoga has long been […]

Posted in Awareness, Positivity

Power Posing

Power poses have grown in popularity over the years. We’ve heard of poses like the nicknamed Superwoman or Wonder Woman pose. In this pose, you stand similarly to how a superhero would, with your feet apart and hands on your hips. Power poses boost your confidence and lift your overall mood. Studies suggest power posing […]

Posted in Complete Well-Being, Meditation, Stress

Children & Meditation

Being a kid is tough in an ever-changing and stressful world. When feeling overwhelmed or discouraged, children may become disconnected while experiencing rising levels of stress or anxiety. Introducing meditation is a great way to allow children to practice mindfulness when dealing with their emotions. Participating in positive grounding activities, like meditation, has proven to […]

Posted in Complete Well-Being, Sleep

Sleep & Screen-time

Having trouble sleeping? Your screen time may be the culprit. The blue light emitted from electronic screens suppresses your body’s melatonin level. Melatonin is the hormone responsible for regulating the sleep-wake cycle. This blue light disrupts your circadian rhythms, otherwise known as your internal biological clock, making it difficult to fall asleep naturally. Professionals recommend turning […]

Posted in Awareness, Complete Well-Being, Positivity, Stress

Positive Thinking & Health

Studies have indicated a strong link between positive mindsets and health. A positive mindset lessens the inflammatory damage of stress, reducing the risk of heart attacks and other cardiovascular-related issues.  Reducing your cortisol level also decreases the chance of developing infections or chronic complications. Cortisol, your body’s stress hormone, is involved with: – Controlling inflammation – […]

Posted in Awareness, Complete Well-Being, Fitness, Movement, Stress, Yoga

Posture & Mindfulness

It’s easy to get into the habit of slouching, whether you are scrolling on your phone or typing away on your computer.  Being mindful about your posture can help to relax and reduce shoulder tension. The Healthy Back and Healthy Postures series are a collection of stretches and exercises designed to help release body tension […]

Posted in Complete Well-Being, Fitness, Movement, Stress

Neurotransmitters & Exercise

In stressful situations, our brain releases increased levels of stress hormones which cause our bodies to react in several ways. Mental stress can materialize into physical problems, like chest tightness or headaches. We may feel overwhelmed, irritable, or maybe even a little sweaty.  Finding ways to combat the stressors we encounter in our day-to-day lives […]

Posted in Fitness

Fitness for New & Expecting Moms

Pregnancy can be a major shock to a woman’s body. Hormone shifts, body discomfort, and other difficult symptoms can make physical activity seem extremely daunting and the workouts you once enjoyed may start to feel impossible. Although exercise may be the last thing on your mind during pregnancy, there are incredible benefits to staying active […]

Posted in Complete Well-Being, Mindful Eating

Diet Choices for Hair Health

Dedication to personal health and wellness requires evaluating the content of our body’s intake, in hopes of achieving the optimal outcome: our healthiest, best selves. As we incorporate new workout routines or forms of exercise to make our bodies stronger, we often overlook the importance of the strength of a different body part: our hair. […]

Posted in Complete Well-Being, Productivity, Stress

How To Stay (Physically and Mentally) Healthy during COVID-19

As the months of March and April were primarily spent at home as an effort to flatten the curve, we each took steps to create a new sense of “normal”—developing new routines that could function under social distancing policies and federal restrictions.  As a result of the Coronavirus, feelings of emotional distress have arisen around […]

Posted in Breathing, Meditation, Sleep, Stress

How To: Get The Beauty Sleep You Deserve

Sleep is an essential component of life: we need sleep to function, to feel well-rested, and to establish separation between our days. But, while sleep is important, it is not always easy to achieve a good night’s rest. In fact, millions of Americans struggle with sleep deprivation.  Before going to bed, people often run through […]

Posted in Fitness

Think Twice About Skipping an Ab Workout

Doing ab and core exercises doesn’t just have to be for the looks. Strengthening both parts can actually be very beneficial for your well-being. Your core is different from your abdominal muscles, which is more of an outer core. The core consists of muscles around your torso and pelvis—including the front, back, and obliques.  Your core […]

Posted in Breathing

Breath-ful-fillness

Pranayama is defined as controlled deep rhythmic breathing. The underlying principle of this practice aims to form a relationship amongst one’s emotion and breathing. To put it differently, breathing affects emotion and emotions are affective on breathing. The Caravan Wellness video Alternate Nostril Breathing is an exercise inspired by this yogic technique, with benefits that effect mindfulness-based therapeutic interventions, particularly with students (Singh). According to the 2018 mindful breath awareness study using 22 University of Manchester students, the state of wellbeing is the incorporation of an individual’s physical, mental and emotional health faculties. Participants of the research study were […]

Posted in Awareness

Caravan and Aromatherapy Pairings

Aromatherapy is the use of aromatic compounds derived from plants into essential oils for use topically, massages and baths. The aromatherapy history dates back several centuries, and its use is embedded in the cultural histories in both an art and science. Aromatherapy been used for its psychological and physical benefits for more than a thousand […]

Posted in Positivity

The Invisible Power of Indoor Plants

Decorating your home with an abundance of deep green plants can be very appealing to the eye. However, there’s more to them than just the aesthetics. People that surround themselves with plants feel more comfortable, soothed, and natural afterwards. They can make you feel overall more positive since they brighten up the room. Having plants […]

Posted in Breathing

Breath of Fire

Unleash the power of your breath Does it look a little funky? Maybe feel sort of silly? Yep. Does it have life changing benefits? Double yep. Breath of Fire (Kapalabhati) involves creating equal inhales and exhales in a rapid and rhythmic patten. Check out Breath of Fire to see how it’s done. This seemingly odd practice has astonishing […]

Posted in Complete Well-Being

Corporate Wellness Benefits

Interested in how CARAVAN can better your company’s stress and employee satisfaction rates? First, let’s look at some information discussing the benefits of a corporate wellness program. A 2012 study was conducted at a Malaysian telecommunication company researching the effect of a corporate wellness program on employee satisfaction and stress rates.  125 employees were selected for this […]

Posted in Meditation, Sleep, Stress

Sa-Ta-Na-Ma For Peace Of Mind

Our minds are incredible entities capable of life-changing and health-reversing abilities.  Sometimes though, this powerful vehicle can get overtaken by negative thoughts, leaving us susceptible to illness and a poorer quality of life.  In order to quiet the whirlwind of negative thoughts, memories and societal expectations that can fill our minds, discover the healing and mind-clearing power of […]

Posted in Positivity, Stress

Smiling Can Trick Your Brain into Happiness

  “Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes, your smile can be the source of your joy.” – Thich Nhat Hanh   Did you know that this spiritual reflection on human nature by Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh is also proven by research? Heather C. Lunch (Texas A&M University), Nicholas A. Coles and Jeff […]

Posted in Complete Well-Being

Wellness For College Students

Holistic wellness continuously seems to gain more momentum as people everywhere are dissatisfied with the one-size-fits-all mentality. As a result, they are looking to implement multiple forms of self-care into their lives to improve their holistic wellness. With this attitude in mind, The Journal of American College Health researched the effects of a holistic model […]

Posted in Fitness, Meditation

Mindful Exercise For Depression

Mindfulness and exercise.  These two unassumingly related activities share the same impetus: a drive dedicated to improving and bettering the self. If part of your mindfulness and exercising journey is to improve your mental health, you can actually combine the two for maximum benefits.  A 2016 study following 52 individuals in an eight-week mental and […]

Posted in Awareness, Sleep

You Deserve A Mid-Day Nap

Did you know that daily midday naps are linked to lower blood pressure levels and may also help ward off several cardiovascular diseases? The research findings that were presented at the European Society of Cardiology during an annual conference in London revealed the findings. After adjusting for other factors that could influence blood pressure such as age, […]

Posted in Breathing, Stress

Nadi Shodhan Pranayama

It may look and feel a little funny, but Nadi Shodhan Pranayama, as demonstrated in our class Alternate Nostril Breathing, can provide you with an array of health benefits.  Nadi Shodhan Pranayama, which translates to “subtle energy clearing breathing technique” in Sanskrit, is a form of yogic breathing which originated in ancient India.  The technique […]

Posted in Breathing, Stress

The Science of Breathing | Ujjayi Breath

Breathing is something that we do all day, every day, typically without thinking. It’s automatic and intuitive and without it, well, we wouldn’t be alive. There are a lot of functions in the body that work without thinking and psychologists have developed an analogy to categorize how our brain processes this type of thinking versus […]

Posted in Positivity

How Your Friends Can Help You Live Longer

 Having close friends is an obvious plus but did you know they may help you live longer? There are many emotional advantages to having strong social relationships with others and scientists have begun diving deeper into their long term effects. Some of the advantages that have been studied are… Intimacy Social integration or sense of belonging Opportunity […]

Posted in Yoga

The Benefits Of Children’s Yoga

According to Forbes, over 37 million people practice yoga in the United States alone.  We wanted to make sure that this incredible exercise was accessible to all ages, including children, and created our “Mindful Yoga For Kids Series.”   In general, yoga is being understood as a complementary mind-body intervention for physical and mental health conditions.  […]

Posted in Mindful Eating

Don’t Skip That Morning Cup Of Coffee

Could a coffee a day be keeping the doctor away?  Many immediately associate coffee with caffeine and sugar, which tend to have negative connotations, however, there’s much more to it. Coffee is made from java beans which are a great source of antioxidants and are linked to mood-boosting qualities. That’s not all researchers said… “Coffee […]

Posted in Breathing

Breath-Focused Meditation Will Strengthen Your Brain

A significant part of meditation and yoga is your breathing patterns. Yogis and Buddhists have trusted that Pranayama, an ancient breath-focused practice, strengthens our brain. They’ve believed that focusing on your breathing during meditation can have numerous cognitive benefits including… “Increased ability to focus, decreased mind wandering, improved arousal levels, more positive emotions, decreased emotional reactivity, along […]

Posted in Positivity

Overcome Negative Thinking – Rewire Your Brain for Positivity

  “ONCE YOU REPLACE NEGATIVE THOUGHTS WITH POSITIVE ONES, YOU’LL START HAVING POSITIVE RESULTS.”  – WILLIE NELSON    We all have negative thoughts, but how you choose to deal with them has been proven to be crucial to your success. Finding ways to deal with these negative thoughts and self-destructive mental loops is imperative to […]

Posted in Yoga

Flow with Vinyasa

There are many different types of yoga that focus on different aspects. One of those types of yoga is Vinyasa. Vinyasa is a flow yoga, which means that the movement of these different postures is stringed together so that the form moves almost seamlessly and effortlessly. This particular type of yoga is ever-changing because of […]

Posted in Complete Well-Being

The Importance of Holistic Health

  Holistic Health in an Overview   The general consensus among society is that overall wellness solely revolves around physical health. Although physical health is very important, so is mental health. Mental health awareness is very low and few people practice it routinely.  Holistic health importance is becoming more relevant in today’s society. Holistic wellness […]

Posted in Mindful Eating

Understanding Liver Detoxification

The liver is a powerhouse organ in charge of some of the body’s most important functions. Detoxifying two quarts of blood every minute, the liver filters and cleanses all of the blood from the major abdominal organs before returning to the heart, (Hall). To maintain optimum liver health, nutritionists and dietitians often recommend liver detoxes, […]

Posted in Fitness

Running for Longevity

Physical activity and improved health is a familiar connection, however there is evidence indicating that vigorous intensity activity is superior in health benefits. Running is an example of such activity and has become one of the most popular forms of vigorous intensity activity due to its convenience. Unlike other forms of this activity running does not […]

Posted in Awareness

Long-Term Benefits Of The Alexander Technique

 What’s it all about? The Alexander Technique is a wellness approach that reteaches the body and mind to use muscles more efficiently. More specifically this technique focuses on releasing unnecessary tension between the head and spine. This is done through simple daily activities that coach you to move freer and in a more integrated way. […]

Posted in Complete Well-Being

A Holistic Approach To Health: Effects On Longevity

Socrates once feared a health system that focused on only “part” of the body rather than the whole, saying, “for the part can never be well unless the whole is well.” At CARAVAN, we believe in taking a holistic approach to health- meaning, we want to ensure that our classes offer overall self-care help for […]

Posted in Complete Well-Being

The Amazing Benefits of Combining Meditation and Exercise

Many studies have shown that meditation and exercise alone are beneficial to mental health. But did you know that combining meditation with exercise may intensify the impacts of each and is extremely effective at improving brain-cell development and beating depression? A research from Rutgers University shows that a mind-body combination of exercise and meditation can […]

Posted in Movement

Pilates for the People

Pilates, noun. pronounced puh-lah-teez. def. A specifically designed system of exercises that utilize a particular apparatus within the human body to promote strength, mental health, and many other benefits. Pilates was created in the first half of the 20th century by Joseph Pilates. Yep. That’s right he went ahead and self-named this popular practice. Joseph first […]

Posted in Mindful Eating

Skin Care Using Natural Ingredients

There are so many different types of skincare products in the world today. Many of them contain harmful chemicals or just don’t work on the skin. As individuals, we spend countless dollars buying products to keep our skin healthy and clear. Despite popular belief, many different skincare products are natural. Yep, you heard right! There […]

Posted in Meditation

Meditation Made for You and Me

Meditation. The stereotypical image of someone dressed in robes and jewelry sitting crossed-legged in a candlelit room comes to mind. This person’s eyes are closed and their hands, which are hovering effortlessly in the air, make an “OK” symbol. This typical image is considered the social media norm of meditation. When in reality, meditation is […]